Hood is a twitchy, competitive, and technically sound corner who plays the position the way NFL teams want it played. He exudes urgency, intelligence, and controlled aggression.
At about 6-feet, 195 pounds, he’s shown elite recovery speed and loose hips that allow him to stay stride-for-stride downfield. When receivers think they’ve created separation, Hood is already closing the window.
For a team looking for a cornerback who will be in play late in the first or early second round, Colton is likely one of their guys.
Hood is sticky in man coverage and carries cross-field routes with patience and balance, rarely panicking or losing leverage. He understands spacing, reads the receiver quickly, and almost never gets caught flat-footed.
His closing speed is lightning-fast, and he disrupts the catch point consistently. Most quarterbacks learn quickly that windows don’t stay open long.
Colton is also versatile. He has shown to be sound in both man and zone coverage. He demonstrates a strong understanding of leverage and route recognition, the latter a testament to his film preparation.
He anticipates the receiver's intentions well and rarely reacts, which is a major reason he can recover so easily. He also exudes the traits I look for in a corner; turning his head around to make a play on the ball, plays through the receiver's hands, uses his size to get up to the catch point, and his eight pass breakups, an interception returned for a touchdown, and a forced fumble scoop-and-score are a result. He makes a lot of plays for a corner that causes plenty of throws to never come his way.
Hood is a physical, willing defender against the run and is not afraid to engage ball carriers in traffic. He gets downhill in support and usually wraps well. He had 50 tackles for a Tennessee defense that dealt with its share of tackling issues. He will build more strength with an NFL team that will help him when matched against larger, more physical wide receivers.
Colton can get handsy at times when beaten off the line of scrimmage, but his traits and foundation are strong. His footwork is smooth and sound, and he transitions well. He also has a fiery, competitive nature and carries a chip on his shoulder.
“Growing up, I was never anybody’s really first choice.” He carries that to the field with him every game.
Hood enters the NFL Draft with his Tennessee backfield teammate, Jermod McCoy. Both are projected to be first-round options.
If Riq Woolen is as successful playing in the Fangio defense as Philadelphia hopes, he will likely be priced out of their future, and despite the signing, Howie Roseman may still be looking for a long-term, cost-effective, and team-controlled cornerback to pair with Quinyon. Hood could be their guy.
Colton played high school football at Eagle’s Landing Academy and is the nephew of former Eagles DB Roderick Hood.
For those who believe in “signs,” Hood is giving off a lot of them.
As always, thank you for reading!
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